Texas Weddings 3 & 4 (41 page)
She looked across the room at Nathan, who spoke with his
hands to a group of men. They hung on his every word, nodding and patting him
on the back. Nathan was brilliant, to be sure. But his love for people far
exceeded any academic gifting. Now, with the people behind him, he seemed to
spring from his shell, energized by their enthusiasm.
Kellie turned back to her mother and Julia to wrap up her
thoughts on the matter. “He wants to do what he can to make things better for
you guys.”
Her mother leaned over
to give her a peck on the cheek. “He let you spend these last few weeks with
us,” she whispered. “That’s definitely made things better for all of us. I
don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”
Kellie reached up to
give her mother a warm hug. “I’m going to miss you. But I really need to be
with Nathan, and he wants to
be.
. .” her voice choked
over. “Back in Houston.” She brushed at damp eyelashes.
“We wouldn’t have it
any other way, Hon. You two need to be together.”
Kellie looked to the
front of the room, where Nathan and her father stood in concentrated dialogue.
The spark in her husband’s eye intrigued her. She hadn’t seen this kind of
enthusiasm in him for a long time. In fact, she wasn’t sure she’d ever seen him
this excited, hopeful. She liked the new Nathan and hoped it translated over
into their new life in Houston.
New life.
How could she possibly
begin a new life when she still harbored old feelings?
Lord, if
You
’re wanting to renew my heart, to clean out all of the
fear and the anxiety, then do it. Have
Your
way,
Father. I want to be in the center of
Your
will—no place else. And if that means
Houston.
.
.
. .
.then I’m fine with that.
Kellie settled the
issue once and for all in her heart. She would, as the scripture so aptly said,
learn to be content in whatever state she found herself in—genuinely,
peacefully content.
She crossed the room to where Nathan now stood alone. She
slipped her arm in his and gave him an adoring gaze.
He glanced down with a look of concern. “Are you okay?”
“Sure.” She smiled up
at him. “Why?”
“Oh, nothing.” He
brushed a stray hair out of her eye. “I just want you to be happy.”
Kellie’s heart
twisted. “
I.
. . I am happy, Honey.”
“Really?” His brow
furrowed a bit and she wondered if he’d been listening to her earlier thoughts.
Kellie’s gaze shifted
to the ground and she fought back the tears. “
I.
. .
I’ve loved every minute of being here,” she said finally. “But I know that
we’ve got to be where God wants us to be. And wherever that is, I’m okay.”
He nodded but said
nothing.
“I figure,” Kellie
continued with enthusiasm mounting, “that as long as we’re in the center of
God’s will, we’re in the safest place on earth, regardless of where we live.
Right?”
He nodded again, but
said nothing.
“Where we are
physically isn’t half as important as where we are with Him.” Kellie beamed
now. “So wherever He calls us to
go.
. . I’m going. As
long as you’re going too.”
Nathan drew in a deep
breath and pulled her close. He planted kisses in her hair and then whispered,
“You’re the smartest woman I know.”
Kellie couldn’t help
but giggle. “Then you don’t know many women; that’s all I’ve got to say.”
Nathan awoke early on Saturday
morning. He lay silent in the bed for a while, listening to Kellie breathe. For
some time, he drank in the stillness of the moment.
Nothing could have prepared him
for her sudden bolt from the bed.
He watched in amazement as
she sprinted toward the bathroom
,
hand over her mouth
.
“What’s
wrong?” He followed her to the bathroom door, but she closed it in his face.
Kellie
never answered, but he could hear the noise from the other side.
“You’re sick?”
Still no answer.
When she finally emerged from the room, her
face was pale and drawn.
“Kellie?”
He followed her to the bathroom sink, where she reached for a toothbrush.
She checked her appearance in the
mirror and groaned. “Ugh. I look as bad as I feel.” She slathered toothpaste on
the brush and stuck it in her mouth.
“I’m
sorry you’re sick.” Nathan reached to pull her hair out of her eyes as she
brushed her teeth. “Do you think it’s something you ate?”
She
shook her head, but never looked up.
“Just
some kind of stomach bug?”
She
didn’t answer. Instead, she continued to brush her teeth in silence. When she
finished, she finally looked him in the eye. “I feel a lot better now. I’m sure
I’ll be fine.”
“
Still.
. .” He ran his hand along her cheek. “I want you to
take it easy today. We’ve got lots of people coming to help. No need in you
doing too much.”
“I’ll
take it easy,” she assured him. “But don’t worry. I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
He nodded then headed off to the
shower. As the hot water beat down on his neck, Nathan planned for the day
ahead. Frankie would arrive at 9:00. With his help, they would load up the boxes
and clothes. After that, he and Kellie would hit the road for home. They would
return to
Greenvine
next weekend to tie up loose ends
and prepare the house for inspection.
Nathan
exited the shower, his mind in awhirl. He tried not to let his thoughts slow
down much. If they
did.
. .
No,
he wouldn’t stop to think. He must plow forward with the task at hand. There
would be plenty of time to think later.
With
a towel wrapped around him, Nathan entered the bedroom. Surprise filled him as
he looked at the bed where Kellie lay curled up, still in her nightgown.
“Not
feeling any better?” he asked.
She
sat up with a start. “
Oh.
. .” She gave him a
quizzical look. “I’m
just.
. .”
“It’s
okay, Honey.” He walked over and kissed her lightly. “I told you to take it
easy.”
He
sat on the edge of the bed and ran his fingers through his hair. She pushed his
hand away and rolled over.
“Are
you mad at me?” Nathan asked.
She
shook her head.
He
wasn’t convinced. “Do you want to talk about it?”
No
response.
Nathan
stood up and walked to his chest of drawers to pull out jeans and a t-shirt.
How could he go about reading her mind?
On the other hand, maybe she didn’t want him to. Maybe she needed space.
He dressed quickly and headed to the
kitchen to make some coffee. Moments later he sat at the table with a cup in
his hand. A knock on the door roused him from his quiet thoughts. Nathan
glanced at his watch:
8:42. Frankie’s early.
He
trudged to the door and opened it, startled to find his in-laws on the other
side.
“Well,
good morning.” He greeted them with a hug.
“Can
we come in?” Kenton asked.
“Of
course.” Nathan ushered them into the kitchen and offered them a cup of coffee.
They
sat together at the table and he quickly explained Kellie’s absence.
“Should
I go and check on her?” Norah asked.
He
nodded, and his mother-in-law slipped off into the other room.
Kenton sat in silence for a
moment, then finally looked Nathan in the eye. “Norah was
d.
. .doing me a favor by leaving,” he explained with a twinkle in his eye. “She
knows I came to speak with you. Guess she thought I needed some privacy.”
“Privacy?
What’s up?” Nathan took a sip of coffee,
then
leaned back in his chair.
Kenton
looked at him intently. “Nathan, I’ve got a problem.”
Nathan
laid a hand on his father-in-law’s arm. “What do you mean?”
“I
mean,” Kenton’s gaze shifted down, “I’m not getting any younger. And even
though I’m getting around better, I’m
still.
. .
still…” He paused and his eyes
filled with tears. “This is what I’m trying to say, Nathan.
I.
. .I don’t believe I can return to my job. I’ve
over.
. .overstayed my welcome, as it is.”
“Sir?”
“The
fine people of
Greenvine
have entrusted me with the
position of City Comptroller for
y.
. .years.” Kenton
spoke slowly, carefully. “But I’d be looking at retirement in another year or
two anyway.” He looked up, eyes brimming over.
Nathan
tried to swallow the growing lump in his throat. “What are you saying, Kenton?”
“I’m
saying.
. .” the older man stared directly into his
eyes, “that I’m beyond the p…point where I can do this city any good. But
you.
. .you’re not.”
“Excuse
me?”
“Nathan,
you’re a wonderful young man. You’ve been the answer to my daughter’s
prayers—and, in so many ways, an answer to our prayers, as well. We never
had the privilege of having a son, but the Lord has sent a fine one our way.”
“Th
. .
.
thank
you, Sir.”
“God
has blessed us in an abundance of ways, of late; I don’t really have any
business asking for more.” Kenton sighed. “But I feel it would be wrong of me
not to mention what’s been on my heart for the past several days,
especially.
. .” He paused and appeared to be collecting his
thoughts. “Especially after the people took so well to your plan last night.”
He looked up, determination in his eyes. “I’ll just cut to the chase and save
you any questions. Elections are just around the corner, and I think you’d make
a fine City Comptroller for the people of
Greenvine
.”
Nathan
sat down the coffee cup with a thud. Surely the older man jested. City Comptroller?
To stay would require putting an end to
everything he and Kellie had hoped and prayed for.
“
I.
. . I’m not sure what to say.” He didn’t dare look his
father-in-law in the eye, not when his eyes would give away his feelings.
Kenton
patted him on the back. “No need to say anything—at least not yet. Just
promise me you’ll pray about it.”
Nathan
nodded in numbed silence.
Pray about it?
A
knock on the door brought him back to his senses. He glanced at his watch.
9:02. “That’s Frankie.”
“I’ll
get myself another cup of coffee.” Kenton stood and headed toward the coffee
maker while Nathan plodded to the front door.
“
Mornin
’ neighbor!” Frankie greeted him with a broad smile.
Nathan
extended his hand. “Good morning to you, too. Thanks for coming to help.”
“No
problem.” Frankie looked back toward the car. “I’ve enlisted the troops. Hope
it’s okay that we brought Madison along.” He gestured toward Julia, who lifted
Madison from the car seat.
“Of
course.” Nathan watched with grin as the little girl squirmed in her mother’s
arms. Within seconds, they joined him at the door.
“Where’s
Kellie?” Julia asked.
“In
the bedroom with her mom.” Nathan shrugged. “She’s sick.”
“No
way.” Julia trudged off in the direction of the bedroom and Frankie and Nathan
joined Kenton in the kitchen for a cup of coffee. They chatted about the
weather, the construction on Highway 290—everything but the move.
Finally, when he could sit still no longer, Nathan stood. The time had come.
They’d
better get packing.
***
Kellie
spent a few minutes chatting with her mother and Julie before they stepped into
the kitchen for a cup of coffee. She slipped out of her nightgown and robe and
into some clothes before heading out to join them. She still battled
queasiness, but did her best to force it aside. No point in raising suspicions.
Not yet, anyway. She padded into the kitchen, loaded with boxes.
“Where
are the guys?” She tried to act casual as she reached for a coffee cup from the
windowsill.
Her
mother gestured out the front window. “They’ve already started loading up.”
“Ah.”
She looked out of the window just in time to see Nathan hoisting a box into the
back of the moving truck. Her heart twisted a bit, but she pushed the feelings
down.
“I
should finish packing up these last few dishes.” She opened a cupboard and
pointed to a handful of things she’d deliberately held back till now.
“Let
me help.” Her mother stood right away. “I hear you haven’t been feeling well
this morning.”